


a long line of terrible

by TymorasQuill



Series: Talia Lives AU [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work, Waterdeep: Twink Heist (Original Work)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Nikolai Doesn't Suck, Alternate Universe - Talia Lives, Canon Rewrite, Cassalanter Bullshit, Comfort, Family Drama, First Meetings, Fix-It, Friendship, Gen, Nikolai is an idiot, Tuit is Having None of This, and talia is too but a little less
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:55:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24991876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TymorasQuill/pseuds/TymorasQuill
Summary: Natalia and Nikolai Cassalanter were many things, but subtle was not one of them.
Series: Talia Lives AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1809193
Kudos: 4





	a long line of terrible

A humid night had fallen over Waterdeep, and there were two figures walking down the street wrapped up in dark cloaks with the hoods pulled over their heads. The hoods were, frankly, doing little to hide their bright silver-white hair when it caught in the streetlights. There was even less that could be done about the way they walked; while one of them at least tried to walk with a more casual gait, the grand and noble confidence in their stride made them seem as if they were in charge of all that was around them, and saw it as a given. It was lucky for them that it was late, and enough strange things happened here anyways that the few stragglers around paid them no more than a glance at best before continuing on their way. 

Natalia and Nikolai Cassalanter were many things, but subtle was not one of them. 

As they approached their destination, one of them kept close to the other, looking around with wariness, as if expecting to get mugged if he did not keep as careful of an eye out for the both of them as possible. In his distraction, he nearly tripped over an uneven stone in the road and shot an offended glare at the taller of them when she snickered as she gave him a steadying hand. 

Neither of them saw the shadow that was following them from a distance, and that had been since they first set out into the night. 

They came to a stop in front of a massive and run-down estate, as out of place as they were, and stood there for a moment before one of them broke the silence.

“And are you  _ certain  _ that you have the correct address, Talia?” he began, eyeing the aging wooden door in front of them with pompous distaste. “I don’t believe any Cassalanter would set foot in this pile of rubbish. It looks as if it is about to fall apart.” 

Talia sighed, and grinned at him with amusement and exasperation as she, apparently no longer caring to be discreet, pulled the hood off her head, and Nikolai did the same. “Yep! This is the place! Trollskull Manor. I double-checked and everything, Nicky.”

“Really? Are you actually  _ certain _ , Talia?” At Talia’s long-suffering nod, his eyes narrowed. “Well then. I don’t know that I like the  _ idea _ of Ophelia living here. It isn’t any sort of place for a Cassalanter. I can barely bring myself to think that even those common criminals she is so  _ taken _ with can bear living there, fearing the roof falling right over their heads. It looks  _ infested _ , or as if someone was  _ murdered _ in there. Does that fellow of Euclid’s not have a room for her in his run-down little bar? Even if he  _ doesn’t _ , he should have made room— well, perhaps that would not have been suitable either. All those drunkards in that dusty hole of a place, it is hardly any better. Perhaps we could relocate her to a more adequate house closer by? Or a more  _ pleasant _ inn to stay in by herself, where—“

At this point in his long rant, which had gradually started to increase in volume, Talia broke in. “I’m pretty sure the whole  _ street’s _ heard all your nagging and whining by now, Nicky! Quit fretting and knock on the door already or I’ll do it!” 

“I am not FRETTING, Talia, I am showing  _ basic _ consideration for our image. The Cassalanters have a  _ reputation  _ to maintain, and I can only imagine the damage control necessary if it was discovered a direct member of our family was living in this  _ hovel.  _ It is  _ our _ responsibility to uphold the values of our noble house and name, and I won’t stand for Ophelia remaining here any longer than it takes for her to pack her bags.”

Talia snorted, and shoved lightly at his shoulder. He rubbed at the spot where she hit him with wounded outrage on his face. “Phi wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the rest of our shitty family, Nicky, and I know you know that. Can you deflate your massive balloon head for a second and admit you’re worried? I didn’t exactly have to drag you out of the estate to sneak out and come see her with me. Stop being such a baby about it already, Nika, you’re a big boy!” 

His voice pitched and cracked strangely as he puffed up to full height. “ _ Excuse  _ me, Natalia, but I am  _ not  _ going to stand for you calling  _ me  _ the immature one when—“

The door to Trollskull Manor swung open, and the two of them fell into startled silence.

Leaning against the doorway was a tiefling, grinning at them cheerily and blocking the inside of the house from sight. “Evening, strangers! Pardon me, but I wanted to ask real quick what you’re doing hanging out on my doorstep after midnight!”

Talia and Nikolai blinked back at the light pouring out from inside the house, and Nikolai took a moment to clear his throat while she waited, beaming up at them both. When he began to speak, he straightened his posture impossibly more, and spoke with a grand air that had not been present moments before. “I am Nikolai Cassalanter, second in line to the noble Cassalanter house and lineage, and—“ 

“—I’m Talia,” Talia finished for him, shooting him a pointed look before turning a smile onto the woman in front of them. “Ignore him, he’s kind of an idiot! We don’t mean to bother you this late, but we’re looking for a friend of ours named Phi.” Nikolai, who had been glaring at Talia sullenly, twitched a bit, and made eye contact with the woman. He hastily averted his gaze back to his sister. 

“Phi, huh?” She said, smiling a little more widely. “Nice name! Really don’t think I can help you, though! It is kinda  _ late,  _ I was just fixing myself a midnight snack, y’know, and I dunno if my housemates are gonna appreciate me waking them up on accident, talking to you out here for too long! I hear so many complaints about how noisy I get  _ already _ , and I feel just  _ so _ bad! I’m just a noisy person, though, I can’t really help it, y’know? It’s just the card life dealt me, a mouth that doesn’t know when to shut up! Oh, wow, oops, I’ve just been standing here, rambling away, huh, sorry! Like I said, motormouth, just runs right past me and the rest of my brain!” Her ramble broke off with a small yawn. “Wow, ‘scuse me! Really is getting late! Well, I’ll just direct you right back on your way then!  _ Think _ there’s an inn about a twenty minute’s walk from here or something? I’m real sorry, I’m pretty new ‘round here and I’ve got just... the  _ shittiest  _ sense of direction. Might wanna check in with someone else around here if their light’s on! Good luck with that, I hope you get home safe either way! Goodnight!” 

Talia barely registered that the door was about to close until it was nearly too late. She quickly jammed her foot into the doorway, forcing the stranger to stop. To the side, Nikolai made some sort of miffed sound. “Hey, wait, it’s really important and it  _ really  _ can’t wait, we  _ know _ she’s here, can you just—“ 

“Tuit? Is there a problem?"

**Author's Note:**

> we really went batshit. oops


End file.
